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Tips for 2017 ASTC Diversity Fellows Applications

Remember, your application to be an ASTC Diversity and Leadership Development Fellow
may be submitted any time before 11:00 p.m. on Monday, May 8.

As applicants across the United States and Canada update resumes, gather signatures of support, and draft answers to essay questions in applying to be 2017 ASTC Diversity and Leadership Development Fellows, we thought we would share a few tips on how to create the best application possible.

These tips come from members of the selection committee, advisors to the program, and ASTC staff members—and grow from years of program involvement as mentors, reviewers of applications, and Fellows ourselves.

Write vividly—Write thoughtfully, concisely, and with detail so that the selection committee gets a chance to know you. They want to clearly understand your passion around diversity and your desire for professional development. Use the essay questions and supplemental materials to explain the aspects of you that they may not see in basic demographic information.

Ask for letters of reference—Make use of the people who know you and your work well. Ask your colleagues to write you letters of reference and submit them as supplemental material. Make sure they talk about your potential as a leader, your dedication to the field, your initiatives relating to equity/diversity/inclusion, or your need for professional development in this area.

Plan your answers before you write—Talk out loud with a colleague about your answers. Co-workers who work closely with you, or your supervisor, can also help you through your strengths, weaknesses, and/or things you need to work on. Also, download this scratch pad to preview the questions and outline your answers.

Have someone else review your application—Ask a colleague, an Alumni Fellow, or your mom to review the application before submitting your final documents. Do they feel like your essay questions tell the full story? Do they want to know more? That’s how the selection committee will feel, too!

Don’t wait until the very last minute—Technology issues can happen, and you don’t want to miss out due to a missed deadline.

When in doubt, just ask!—Are you unsure of how you fit into the criteria for the award? Do you have questions about the process? You can write to ASTC’s Ann Hernandez to ask your question and get any individual advice you may need.

P.S. Although you’ll probably be updating your resume for this application process, you may want to sign up for this ASTC Professional Development webinar on May 18 and discover techniques for making sure your resume is always in its optimal state.